Bangladesh has become the Permanent Observer of the Organization of American States (OAS).

The foreign ministry says this would “strengthen ties and increase deeper engagements” between Bangladesh and the Latin American and Caribbean countries.

OAS is the oldest multilateral regional organisation founded by the United States in 1948 to address issues of mutual concern comprising only 20 Latin American countries at that time.

Now it has 35 members from North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean countries with 72 permanent observers from all over the world.

Bangladesh earlier applied for the status of observer to “add value to the Organization based on its shared convictions in the areas of democracy, human rights, security and development,” the foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday.

OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro in a letter to Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said that “through this new status, I anticipate a strengthened engagement and cooperation between our organization and your country for the common benefit of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Americas.”

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